Starting strip for use with asphalt shingles



Feb. 13, 1923.

R. WILSON STARTING STRIP FOR USE WITH ASPHALT SHINGLES Filed June 21, 1922 Patented Feb. 13, 1923.

U N i T E. T

RAYMOND WILSON, OF XVALTHAIVI, MASSACHUSETTS.

STARTING STRIP FOR USE WITH ASPHALT SHIN'GLES.

Application filed June 21, 1922. Serial No. 569,840.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, RAYMOND WVILsoN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Waltham, in the county of Middlesex and State of Massachusetts, have invented new and useful Improvements in Starting Strips for use with Asphalt Shingles, of which the following is a specification.

This invention has for its object to provide a support for the lower ends of asphalt, and other artificial shingles forming the lowest course on a. roof, said lower ends overhanging the lower edge of the roof, and be ing usually unsupported, so that they are liable to be bent or broken by pressure exerted upon them, as, for example, by a ladder placed against the projecting ends of shingles in the lowest course.

The invention is embodied in the improved supporting strip, which I call a starting strip, hereinafter described and claimed.

Of the accompanying drawings forming a part of the specification,-

Figure 1 is a sectional View of a portion of a shingled roof, provided with my improved starting strip.

Figure 2 is a perspective view of a portion of the strip.

The same reference characters indicate the same parts in all of the figures.

My improved strip is formed by bending an elongated sheet metal blank, preferably of galvanized sheet iron, to form a flat body portion 12, a flat flange portion 13 arranged in a plane at an angle to the plane of the body portion, and an intermediate strut portion 14, connecting the body and flange portions. The body portion is adapted to project at its lower edge below a roof 18. The flange portion is adapted tobe secured to a member 18, at the lower edge of the roof. The intermediate strut portion 14 is arranged at an angle with both the body portion and the flange portion, and is adapted to cooperate with the latter in rigidly supporting the projecting edge of the body portion.

The body portion is perforated at 16 to receive attaching nails 17, whereby it is attached to the roof 18. The greater part of the body portion 12 bears on the upper side of the roof, and the flange portion, bearing on the member 18 may be perforated at 19, and secured by nails 20.

The projecting edge of the body portion is adapted to firmly support the lower end portions of asphalt, or other artificial shingles s forming the lowest course laid upon the roof. It is common practice to lay the lower course so that the lower end portions of the shingles thereof overhang the lower edge of the lower sheathing member of the roof. The shingles have not suflicient inherent stiffness to enable their overhanging ends to withstand pressure such as is exerted on them by a ladder placed against the lower edge of the roof. The overhanging ends are, therefore, liable to be crushed and disfigured by such pressure. My improved starting strip prevents this liability. The shingles s may bear either directly on the body portion 12, or on a continuous strip 8' of the same material as the shingles, laid on the body portion before the shingles s are laid.

Owing to the arrangement of the strut portion 1 1, at an angle to the body portion 12, and to the flange portion 13, the projecting edge of the body portion is rigidly supported against pressure tending to bend it downward, the strut portion standing edgewise to the direction of such pressure, so

that any pressure suflicient to bend the projecting edge of the body portion downward must be so heavy as to bulge thestrut portion sidewise, and must be greater than any pressure liable to be exerted by a ladder leaning against the projecting edge.

I am therefore enabled to use relatively thin sheet metal with satisfactory results, metal of twenty-six gage being suitable.

I claim:

A sheet metal starting strip for use with asphalt shingles, comprising an elongated flat body portion, a flange portion standing at an angle with the body portion,

and an intermediate strut portion connecting the body and flange portions, and standing at an angle with each of said portions, the body portion being adapted to be attached to a roof with an edge projecting therefrom, the flange portion being adapted to bear on. a member at the lower edge of the roof, and the intermediate strut portion being adapted to cooperate with the flange portion in supporting the projecting edge of the body por tion, and roofing material bearing on said lower edge.

In testimony whereof I have affixed my signature.

RAYMOND WILSON. 

